в r o ĸ e n
by FallingRain22
Summary: Someone has returned to avenge Slade's death, and they don't care what cost it comes at. All the better to strike where it hurts the most. Sad RobStar one-shot


Thunder rumbled overhead as the Titans battled, the sky dark with heavy clouds. Robin swung his bo-staff and knocked several slade-bots off their feet before dispatching them quickly, leaping to Cyborg's aid. Raven knocked another group over with a hunk of metal encased in a black aura. Beast Boy, in the form of a tiger, tackled a bot and dug his claws into the sharp metal. A brilliant flash of green lit up the gloomy courtyard as starbolts flew through the air, taking out dozens of the bots. Robin smiled as the fire-headed warrior released another volley of starbolts. She caught his eye and smiled in return, her orange cheeks flushed from the excitement of battle and her green eyes sparkling with the thrill of victory. A blur of black, orange, and white - which Raven recognized as the villainess, Ravager - stirred from the window of a nearby building. Robin barely had time to register what was happening when a loud shot rang through the air.

Starfire gasped as fiery pain blossomed from her chest, falling backwards and crashing onto the cold ground below.  
"STARFIRE!" Robin jumped to her side, cupping his arms gently around her shoulders and supporting the back of her neck. She groaned slightly in response.  
"R-robin?" She watched as his eyes traced her body, coming to rest on the dark red liquid that stained the left side of her breast. He stared at the wound in disbelief before snapping back to his senses.  
"Raven! Heal her now before the bleeding gets too-"  
"I can't," Raven interrupted, hanging her head and clutching at her own chest as if wounded herself, "It's a fatal wound, Robin."  
Starfire was not disappointed in Raven's response; she had expected that. A bullet to the heart is a fatal wound. Her Tamaranean resistance had bought her a few precious minutes. Robin glanced from the wound to Raven, tense.  
"You...can't?" His voice cracked and Starfire flinched. The pain in his voice hurt her far more than the hole in her heart. Mustering all the strength she had left, Starfire lifted a hand and gently brushed her fingers across his cheek.  
"Fear not, Robin. I will not recover-" the edges of her vision were beginning to darken. Each breath was ragged and sent fresh pain rippling though her body. Starfire struggled to continue. "But I will never leave you." Robin stared at her, unable to process that this was really happening. Raven was startled at how quickly Starfire's beautiful, innocent aura was fading. Starfire cupped her hand firmly against Robin's cheek, using the very last reserves of any strength she had left. She stared into his eyes behind the mask, feeling the cold grip of death spreading from her toes.  
"Dick, I-i," she exhaled sharply. Starfire's hand fell from his face. Her once brilliant green eyes stared off into space, glazing over. Robin remained frozen for a moment before panic set in.  
"Starfire? Star?" He choked back a sob. "Kory, you can't leave me!" Robin cradled her limp body and buried his face in her hair, her face still warm. "I love you too."

The heavens opened up, releasing a downpour of rain onto the teenagers below as if mourning for the lost Titan. Raven turned away, a single tear escaping from her eyes and sliding silently down her cheek as she struggled to control her grief. Beast Boy and Cyborg stood in disbelief, watching Robin hold the broken body of their teammate. Within minutes, everyone was drenched to the skin. But no one said a word. No one dared to speak. Robin drew Starfire into a hug, pressing her strongly against his chest as he stared off into distance, trying to believe that surely this was a nightmare and he would awake at any moment, run down the hallway and find Starfire sleeping peacefully in her bed. Robin tenderly slid her eyes closed before leaning back, shifting his hands to grasp her shoulders. Without the support, Starfire's head fell backwards so that her face was facing the sky. Robin finally grasped the fact that he had lost her. And for the first time in 6 years, Robin cried for the world to see. His tears were bitter and unrestrained as he held her. Some part of Robin wanted the world to know that he had lost someone so dear to him - his teammate, his best friend, his _love._ As Raven watched the broken man in front of her, she knew that just as she had been incapable of healing the bullet hole in Starfire's heart, there was nothing she could do to fix the shattered pieces of her leader's heart.

Only one Titan was lost that day. Starfire lived on in the hearts of her friends. But something had died inside of Robin with Starfire's last words.


End file.
